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Addiction[edit]

There are approximately one half to 2 million sex addicts[1] in the world that have access to the Internet and the prospectives of virtual sex on the Internet are appealing to them. The internet opens up a world where people can reinvent themselves and try on a completely different online persona; they can freely experiment with and explore a variety of new, hidden or repressed sexual behaviors, fetishes and sexual fantasies[2]. This can feel liberating, but can also be extremely dangerous as it has the potential of becoming addicting and have adverse effects on cybernauts other aspects of life. What attracts people to sex via the Internet can be explained by the “Triple A” engine[3] of Affordability, Accessibility, and Anonymity. The "Triple A" engine represents the risk factors for people that are already susceptible to sexual compulsivity or psychological vulnerability related to sexual compulsivity.

Affordability is about the cheap price of virtual sex. Pornography magazines and videos used to have a price of $20 or more per individual piece, while today anyone can have access to unlimited amount of pornographic content at the price of a $20 monthly subscription to the internet. Accessibility is a person's capacity to have access to the Internet - a service that is virtually accessible to anyone in the world. Finally, Anonymity references the ability to have access to sexual content without disclosing your true identity; this can feel empowering and make it that much easier to have sex, as one wouldn't have to risk being seen by someone they know and feel ashamed or worried of possible gossips and rumors about them.[3]

When does healthy virtual sex become a pathology? Addiction[4] is defined by 3 main characteristics: compulsivity (not being able to freely choose when to stop or continue a behavior), continuation of the behavior despite adverse consequences, and obsession with the activity. When one losses control and lets virtual sex impact negatively at least one aspect of their life, this is when it stops being healthy. According to clinical studies, the main adverse consequences of virtual sex addiction are about the damage it causes in marital and other romantic relationships, disrupted due to online affairs and online sexual compulsivity.[5] In a research study[5], it was found that online affairs and sexual compulsivity were reported by 53% of the virtual sex addicts interviewed to be the cause of disruption of their romantic relationships.

Virtual sex can become a coping mechanism to temporarily escape real life problems[5]. However, it is not an effective one and even potentially harmful, as the underlying issues will go on unaddressed and only become more complex with time. Generally, there are a couple of patterns explaining why one can become addicted to virtual sex and the ways one can use it as a coping mechanism. Often, it is used to cope with emotional problems[5]. Virtual sex can serve as a distraction from painful emotions, such as loneliness, stress, and anxiety, as consuming online pornographic content makes the addict feel more confident, desirable, and excited, creating a numbing effect. Another pattern involves young, insecure, socially awkward or emotionally troubled people who use internet to interact with others online rather than in person in order to avoid rejection from a real person. In the Internet they can find a virtually unlimited amount of people who seem interesting and interested in them. They find the online world more comforting and safe, as it is harder to pick on social clues of disapproval or judgement. Gradually online friends can become more "real" than offline friends and an online friend can become an opportunity for online affair and cybersex. Partners that are cheated on through online affairs feel that online affairs are just as painful as offline ones - it is a significant source of stress, makes them feel betrayed as they were lied to, and feel insecure as they will negatively compare themselves with the online women or men. Virtual sex can become an escape and a new addiction for recovering sex addicts that are going through a stressful period in their life. Feeling triggered by life problems, prior sex addicts can find themselves using online pornographic content as a quick and easy, but temporary fix to help them soothe themselves, forget about life's problems, and feel better about themselves. Another pattern is when an individual takes advantage of the online sexual content to explore forbidden, hidden, and repressed sexual fantasies, which can become addicting and completely absorb the person into this virtual space.[5]


Ana Shack PEER REVIEW

When you are citing your sources, put them at the end of sentences after a period.

For the second paragraph I recommend saying "refers to" "pertains to" or similar phrases instead of "is about" and "is". This is a small thing but I think it helps the reader remember you are referring to the three As from the previous paragraph, especially since they might just be glancing through it quickly. Also, expand a little in this paragraph to say specifically how the three As increase the risk of sex addiction (especially the last one).

Third paragraph: "When does healthy virtual sex become pathological?" rather than "a pathology" makes more sense here

For the last paragraph, do you have any sources besides the one that can support what you say? This is just a suggestion since there is a lot of information and only once source.

Long Distance Relationships[edit]

Approximately 14 million people in the United States are in a long distance relationship[6]. Among young adults, 40% to 50%[7] are in a long distance relationship at any given time, as well as 75% of college students at least at one given moment during their studies[8]. It is expected that the number of long distance relationships will be increasing due to the globalized nature of today's world [9]. Hence, the internet might be a useful tool to make long distance relationships work. One way couples in long distance relationships engage in a sexual activity online is through sexting. Self-expression through sexting between partners can create a feeling of intimacy and closeness between partners even at a distance [10]. Long distance relationships may be more susceptible to sexual boredom[10], hence sexting can be an effective way of keeping partners sexually engaged at a distance[6]. In a study[6], the associations between sexting and feelings of closeness were studied. It was found that more sexting more often in a long distance relationship was not predictive of higher interpersonal closeness between the partners. However, there was found a correlation between sexting and sexual satisfaction, as well as relationship satisfaction.

Ana Shack PEER REVIEW

Define sexting in your paragraph.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Delmonico, David L.; Carnes, Patrick J. (1999-10). "Virtual Sex Addiction: When Cybersex Becomes the Drug of Choice". CyberPsychology & Behavior. 2 (5): 457–463. doi:10.1089/cpb.1999.2.457. ISSN 1094-9313. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Young, Kimberly S.; Griffin-shelley, Eric; Cooper, Al; O'mara, James; Buchanan, Jennifer (2000-01). "Online infidelity: A new dimension in couple relationships with implications for evaluation and treatment". Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity. 7 (1–2): 59–74. doi:10.1080/10720160008400207. ISSN 1072-0162. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b Cooper, Alvin; Scherer, Coralie R.; Boies, Sylvain C.; Gordon, Barry L. (1999). "Sexuality on the Internet: From sexual exploration to pathological expression". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 30 (2): 154–164. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.30.2.154. ISSN 1939-1323.
  4. ^ Schneider, Jennifer P. (1994-01). "Sex addiction: Controversy within Mainstream Addiction Medicine, Diagnosis Based on the DSM-III-R, and Physician Case Histories". Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity. 1 (1): 19–44. doi:10.1080/10720169408400025. ISSN 1072-0162. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e Young, Kimberly S. (2008-09). "Internet Sex Addiction". American Behavioral Scientist. 52 (1): 21–37. doi:10.1177/0002764208321339. ISSN 0002-7642. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b c Kafaee, Nazanin; Kohut, Taylor (2021-04-01). "Online sexual experiences and relationship functioning in long distance relationships". The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality. 30 (1): 15–25. doi:10.3138/cjhs.2020-0038. ISSN 1188-4517.
  7. ^ Cionea, Ioana A.; Wilson Mumpower, Stacie V.; Bassick, Megan A. (2019-01). "Serial Argument Goals, Tactics, and Outcomes in Long-Distance and Geographically Close Romantic Relationships". Southern Communication Journal. 84 (1): 1–16. doi:10.1080/1041794X.2018.1531915. ISSN 1041-794X. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Crystal Jiang, L.; Hancock, Jeffrey T. (2013-06). "Absence Makes the Communication Grow Fonder: Geographic Separation, Interpersonal Media, and Intimacy in Dating Relationships: Long-Distance Intimacy Process". Journal of Communication. 63 (3): 556–577. doi:10.1111/jcom.12029. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Stafford, Laura (2004-12-13). "Maintaining Long-Distance and Cross-Residential Relationships". doi:10.4324/9781410611512. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. ^ a b Reis, Harry T.; Shaver, Phillip* (2018-05-15), "Intimacy as an interpersonal process", Relationships, Well-Being and Behaviour, Routledge, pp. 113–143, retrieved 2021-10-30
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